Food smoker apparatus

ABSTRACT

This invention comprises a new process for imparting the flavor of smoke to food and consists of a vacuum/compression chamber designed for the placement of meat or other food product within; and which can be sealed to create an airtight condition within; and which is connected by an adjustable valve or valves to a smoke producing chamber capable of producing smoke saturated air which can be sucked into said vacuum/compression chamber by an attached vacuum pump, causing said smoke saturated air to be pulled deeper into said meat or other food product than would occur under normal exposure conditions; and subsequently pushed further into said meat or other food product by compression of said smoke saturated air within said vacuum/compression chamber; and this process can be enhanced by piercing meat or other food product with a skewer device which creates more exposed surface within the meat or other food item.

I claim the benefit of the filing date of the provisional patent application: U.S. 61/342,181 filed on Apr. 10, 2010.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The food smoker apparatus according to the present invention addresses man's efforts to utilize smoke for the purpose of food preservation, preparation, and flavor enhancement. These efforts are well documented in the historical and anthropological records of human food preparation. Modern man is no exception to the past when it comes to the desire to utilize the flavor enhancing qualities of smoke produced by the burning of wood, charcoal or any other vegetable matter used in the production of heat which makes cooking our food possible.

To this day throughout the modern world, the techniques for doing this are not very far removed from the same techniques used by our earliest ancestors who realized that the smoke from cooking food did actually alter the flavor of the food being prepared; and at some point long ago there came along the realization that the more prolonged the exposure of the food being prepared to smoke, the more smoke enhanced the flavor of the food would be.

Until now the most modern contrivances available in our otherwise high tech world for achieving this enhanced smoke flavoring still involved prolonging the exposure of the food to the smoke. Today's most modern electric smokers may be somewhat easier to use than the wood burning type, but they still require many hours of exposure to the smoke to achieve the desired level of flavor enhancement.

The purpose of this new food smoker apparatus invention is to provide for a new, efficient, and very rapid process for utilizing smoke produced from the burning of traditional materials such as wood, charcoal or a variety of vegetable matter to enhance the flavor of a variety of foods.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The food smoker apparatus according to the present invention is based upon the application of a few basic principles of physics (regarding the creation of vacuums and pressurized environments) to the challenge of finding a way to infuse food with the flavor enhancing qualities of smoke in a way that is faster and more efficient than the practices commonly used today which consist of exposing the food product to smoke in an enclosed area over varying periods of time (often while in the process of cooking), such as is commonly found in either commercial or homemade smokers and grills. Considerable amounts of time and materials are necessary for any of the methods commonly in use today.

The food smoker apparatus according to the present invention can infuse food with a desired level of smoke flavoring within a matter of minutes using small quantities of material such as wood, charcoal, mesquite, etc. which can be ignited to produce smoke; said smoke then being incorporated into a vacuum and/or pressure chamber in a manner that will render the food which has been placed inside that chamber to be saturated with smoke and subsequently, said food can then be baked, fried, grilled or otherwise cooked in any method desired, and upon completion of the cooking process, said food will, upon being consumed, impart the flavor of smoke consistent with the material burned to produce that smoke.

The central feature of the food smoker apparatus according to the present invention is that a food product can be infused with smoke flavor thoroughly and quickly in a very short period of time by placing the food product into a chamber capable of holding varying levels of vacuum or withstanding varying levels of pressurization; and when smoke is pulled from a separate smoke producing chamber into the chamber containing the food product through a valve or series of valves which separate the two chambers and this happens after a vacuum has been created inside said chamber containing the food product and said smoke is subsequently pulled into every vacant space, opening or otherwise exposed surface within said food product. The valve between the two chambers can then be closed and the entire process can be repeated any number of times for the purpose of further saturating the food product with smoke flavor. The smoke flavoring of the food product can be further enhanced by subjecting the food product inside of the said chamber containing the food product to pressurization at different levels and for varying periods of time following the release of the vacuum.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEW OF THE DRAWING

The FIGURE is a sectional front perspective view, partially schematic, of the entire food smoker apparatus showing the major components of the apparatus including the ignition/burn chamber, the vacuum/pressure chamber, the vacuum pump, and the compressor pump, and also showing: the ignition element inside the ignition/burn chamber, and also showing the pipes (could also be copper tubing or rubber hoses) connecting the interior of the vacuum/pressure chamber and the ignition/burn chamber with each other and with the atmosphere outside of the chambers, and also showing are a series of valves used to open and shut off connections between the two chambers or, connections between said chambers and the atmosphere outside of said chambers, as needed for the process of treating the food item inside of the vacuum/pressure chamber for smoke flavoring, and also showing exterior hinged access doors for both the ignition/burn chamber and the vacuum/compression chamber, and also showing hinges, rubber gaskets, and door latches which allow the vacuum/pressure chamber to be shut in such a way as to create air tight seals between the outside atmosphere and the interior of the vacuum/compression chamber when the doors are clamped shut, (note that the ignition/burn chamber does not require a rubber gasket as some air seepage into this chamber is not a problem), and also showing in the FIGURE are electrical outlets and electrical supply cords, switches and plugs and which connect the vacuum/compressor pump and the ignition/burn element, inside the ignition/burn chamber, to an electrical power supply, and also showing is the on/off power switch and control knob for the vacuum pump and compressor pump. The FIGURE also shows a food rack supporting the meat or food product and a food piercing device placed into the meat or food product that is to be treated with smoke inside of the vacuum/pressure chamber; and also shows a pipe protruding from the bottom of the ignition/burn chamber containing an adjustable valve.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The FIGURE shows the food smoker apparatus 1 which can be of various dimensions and shapes and constructed of a variety of materials and in the preferred embodiment of the apparatus will usually be fabricated from steel, aluminum, or some other metal strong and durable enough to withstand the stresses caused by the creation of internal or external pressure resulting from causing vacuum and pressurization or heat within the chambers created in the fabrication of this apparatus.

The food smoker apparatus 1 shown in the FIGURE consists of four major components including: the ignition/burn chamber 2, the vacuum/compression chamber 3, and the vacuum pump 19, and the compressor pump 4. Also shown in the FIGURE are other essential components of the food smoker apparatus 1; starting with the ignition/burn chamber door 23, the ignition/burn chamber door handle 33, the ignition/burn chamber door hinge 30, the ignition/burn chamber door latch mechanism 32, and the ignition/burn chamber door mounted latch receiver 31. Also shown in the FIGURE are the vacuum/compression chamber door 24, the vacuum/compression chamber door handle 26, the vacuum/compression chamber door hinge 27, the vacuum/compression chamber door latch mechanism 29, and the vacuum/compression chamber door mounted latch receiver 28.

Also shown in the FIGURE is the chamber wall 12 which separates the ignition/burn chamber 2 and the vacuum/compression chamber 3 and is constructed of the same material as the outer walls of the food smoker apparatus 1.

Also shown in the FIGURE is the on/off power switch 5, and control setting dial 6, and circuitry casing 7 mounted on top of the vacuum pump 19 and compressor pump 4 and connected to an electrical supply source by a 120 volt electrical cord 14 with a 120 volt electrical plug 41. Also shown in the FIGURE, inside of the ignition/burn chamber 2, is the ignition/burn plate 8 which is connected to electrical supply by wire conduits 9 which connect to a 120 volt electrical cord 10 attached to a 120 volt electrical plug 11 which will plug into a standard 120 volt electrical outlet to supply electricity to the ignition/burn plate 8, when power switch 42 is turned on so that the ignition burn plate 8 will provide the heat to ignite the wood disc or other smoke generating material 13, which will subsequently burn and create smoke which will accumulate inside of the ignition/burn chamber 2, and which will subsequently be pulled into the vacuum/compression chamber 3, through the pipe 15 when the valve 16 inside of the pipe 15 is closed and the valve 18 inside of the pipe 15 is opened and the valve 17 inside the pipe 22 is closed; this occurring after a vacuum has been created in the vacuum/compression chamber 3 by turning the control setting dial 6 to engage the vacuum pump 19, which when activated will pull air out of the vacuum/compression chamber 3 when valve 20 inside of pipe 40 and valve 21 inside of pipe 39 are opened while valve 16 inside of pipe 15 and valve 17 inside of pipe 22 are closed.

After the desired amount of air has been pulled out of the vacuum/compression chamber 3 and the desired amount of smoke has been pulled into the fiber of the meat or food substance 36 within the vacuum/compression chamber 3, the atmosphere inside the vacuum/compression chamber 3 can be held constant for a desired period of time by closing valve 18 inside of pipe 15 and also closing valve 20 inside of pipe 40 and continuing to keep valve 16 in pipe 15 and valve 17 in pipe 22 closed.

The atmosphere inside of the vacuum/compression chamber 3 can also subsequently be subjected to compression by turning the control dial 6 to engage the compressor pump 4 which will, when activated, compress the atmosphere within the vacuum/compression chamber 3, when valve 20 inside of pipe 40 and valve 21 inside of pipe 39 are closed and valve 16 inside of pipe 15 and valve 17 inside of pipe 22 are open and valve 18 inside of pipe 15 is closed and valve 35 inside of pipe 34 is opened the subsequent compression of the air within the vacuum/compression chamber 3 will cause a further penetration of the meat or food substance within by the smoke saturated air which has been previously pulled by vacuum out of the ignition/burn chamber 2.

Also shown in the FIGURE is valve 35 inside of pipe 34 located on the bottom of the ignition/burn chamber 2 which can be opened when the ignition/burn chamber door 23 is closed to allow more air to be pulled into the ignition/burn chamber 2 during the burning of the wood chip or other smoke generating material 13 and to allow a continuous flow of smoke to be pulled through the ignition burn chamber 2 and into the vacuum/compression chamber 3 during the compression phase of the operation of the food smoker apparatus 1.

Also shown in the FIGURE is the food piercing mechanism 38 which can be used when desired to puncture the meat or food substance 36 placed on top of the food rack 37 inside of the vacuum/compression chamber 3; this done so that more of the surface of the meat or food substance 36 will be exposed to smoke during the vacuum/compression process described above. When the sequence of vacuum creation, smoke introduction, and finally compression of smoke saturated air is repeated several times, it has the effect of causing smoke to be pulled and pushed deep into the meat or food substance 36 that has been placed inside of the vacuum/compression chamber 3 during this process.

While the basic invention has been disclosed it is understood that it is my intention that my invention is not to be limited to such disclosures since it may be expanded through the application of my basic invention principles. Also, it should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, materials used for construction, arrangements of the components, as well as the automation of some of the processes described in the detailed description of the invention may be made without departing from the nature and principles of my invention. 

1. A food preparation apparatus comprising: a smoke producing chamber adapted so that wood or other material can be ignited in such a way that smoke saturated air will be produced within the confines of said smoke producing chamber in sufficient quantities to be pulled into an adjacent chamber containing meat or other food substance; said adjacent chamber containing meat or other food substance connected by an adjustable valve to said smoke producing chamber; and said adjacent chamber containing meat or other food substance having been previously subjected to the creation of a vacuum through the operation of a vacuum pump; said vacuum pump connected by an adjustable valve to said adjacent chamber containing said meat or other food substance; after said valve connecting said smoke producing chamber to said adjacent chamber containing meat or other food substance is opened, thus causing said smoke saturated air to be pulled from said smoke producing chamber into said vacuum created by said vacuum pump connected by said adjustable valve to said adjacent chamber containing said meat or other food substance; and subsequently pulled into areas of said meat or other food substance that would not necessarily be quickly exposed to smoke in a standard grill or smoker; and subsequently, said meat or other food substance can be exposed to pressurization of said smoke saturated air through the operation of a compressor; said compressor connected by an adjustable valve to said adjacent chamber containing said meat or other food substance; and subsequently causing said smoke saturated air, which has been pulled into said adjacent chamber containing meat or other food substance from said smoke producing chamber, to be pushed further into said meat or other food substance by the compression of said smoke saturated air within said adjacent chamber containing meat or other food substance.
 2. A food piercing mechanism; adapted to be pressed into a meat or food substance that would be placed inside of any specialized chamber designed to expose said meat or food substance to smoke saturated air in a sealed environment; said sealed environment inside of specialized chamber having been subjected to the formation of a vacuum within said sealed environment; and said sealed environment inside of specialized chamber capable of being subjected to compression of said smoke saturated air within said sealed environment; thereby, causing more surface area in said meat or other food substance to be exposed to said smoke saturated air drawn into said specialized chamber. 